Bible Reading Plan | Devotion for the week of February 13, 2022

Weekly reading: Judges 16-21; Psalm 91
Passages referenced: Psalm 91:1,2; James 4:8

Growing up, I was always fascinated by thunderstorms. I have fond memories of being at my grandparents’ apartment, sitting outside under the covered patio, and watching the storms go by. We would go out and twirl around and around in the rain when it was safe. One warm summer evening, while having a family cookout, the sky grew dark, and the rain and wind came. Then came lightning and thunder, and tornado sirens started blaring. This was a different kind of storm, and we had to take shelter. It was scary but my grandparents knew right where we needed to go to be protected.

Psalm 91 is one of my favorite Psalms, and it speaks to the protection we have when we abide in God’s presence. Psalm 91:1 tells us that “He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.”

God has provided a secret place, hidden with Him, where we can find refuge. I believe the secret place to be a place of sweet fellowship with God the Father. It is a place where we find rest, peace, and safety during the storms of life and attacks from the enemy that come our way. It is in His presence and in that place that we can say of the Lord, “[You are] my refuge and my fortress; My God, in [You] I will trust.” (Psalm 91:2)

The key is to dwell or abide in the secret place of His presence. To dwell is to live or settle in a place, and to abide is to live or remain. When we live in the secret place, we remain under the shadow or protection of El Shaddai (God Almighty). There is no safer place to be than in Him. Whether you are on a mountain top, in the valley, or somewhere in between, I encourage you to draw near and abide in the shelter of the Almighty.

How do we get there? Especially when we are in the valley? James 4:8 encourages us to “draw near to God, and He will draw near to [us.]” God is always right there, inviting us to dwell in the secret place He has set apart for us. It is for everyone who puts their trust in Him. We have a choice. We can follow the voice of fear and anxiety, or we can follow the voice of the One who calls us to abide under the shadow of the Almighty. – Carissa Metzger

• Check out the song I Belong to Jesus by Paul & Hannah McClure which really encouraged Carissa as she wrote this devotional.

• Do you have questions about this week’s Bible reading? We’d love to help! Rather than relying on the first thing you find on the internet, email us at biblequestions@warsaw.cc. We are more than happy to answer that nagging question you have, provide you with some clarity, or point you in the right direction for further study.